The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-06-08
The Story Of Margaret of New
Orleans.

NOnuCl IL IL luCuilLCS hCl
We stand beside the statue of this ia
leans, and, after the manner of stran-
gers, conjecture on what we for the first
time see.
Not at ALL voice answers in the
soft southern tongue. "It looks just
like her."
" All, thank you. You live here?'
" was born here; this is my home"
I" You were here during the war,
and yellow fever, and everything? and
was Ben. Butler so dreadful? and have
you seen Cable?"
A nod answers each one of my young
companions impetuous queries.
elbow delightful" concludes my
friend; but the lady shakes her head,
taps her fan lightly on the girls
soft cheek and says, musingly cit
did not seem as if l would live through
it, but l have, and now comes one who
calls my trials delightful How cruell"
"Ah, pardon. But 1 was thinking
of that charming man who wrote the
delicious Madame Delphine. l was
thinking how perfectly lovely it must
be to live here and know him-and
then to have lived in a city that has
had such history, it is so romantic.
And can you tell us anything about
Margaret"
"This little space Margaret Place.
it is called-is pleasant spot to rest
imp
With this invitation, given more in
looks than in words, we seated our
selves near our new acquaintance on
! ha in thn 1itt1a rNarl Tho
fume of March roses overhangs the
city; we forget in its righteousness the
signs of decay that in portions of the
quaint old town imparts pensive mel
ancholy to its beauty. Near by us, in
the green grass, is pool set about with
low border of cactus, mimic fort,
with all its bristling thorn-guns out,
and its blossom flags flying from the
ramparts, which are guarding with
such fierceness only lazy fleet of water
lilies, under the shade of which there
is whirl of goldfish. A stone foot
bridge crosses the pool and spans the
river of cacti. The park is a well-kept,
refreshing, simple setting for the statue
itself.
"She was aworking-woman-a serv-
ant here. When l first remember her
/ was living near here, and she was
taking care of the cows in stable that
stood almost on the very spot where her
statue stands now. She was working
then for the Sisters of the asylum. She
fed and MIXED their cows, and sold
milk in cart about the city. She was
strengthening person-remarkable
in her appearance. / think, now as |
recall her, she had a broad forehead
serious eyes, pleasant, broad smile, a
rather short, stout figure. / do not
suppose she ever in her life wore any
dress better than Guinea blue calico
she always wore heavy shoes and a
black straw bonnet trimmed with a
neat band of black over the top. From
my residence l could see her many
times day while she was at her stable
work or coming back and forth with
her milk-cans.
"What was her name? Her name
was Margaret Hauggery; she had been
married, and was at that time widow
Her husband and little child died just
after she came to New Orleans, so we
learned after she became famous. She
was alone and poor, in strange coun
try and went to work in the stables for
her living. Somehow everybody liked
Margaret her smile was sweet and
her words shrewd.
.. " After some years Margaret had saved
enough to buy bit of ground that haC
on it small bakery. The place solo
, for a trifle; but now Margaret was il
royal trina landowner and manu-
facturer-for she opened the shop anC
began bread and pie-making for hel
neighbors. Presently there was large
bakery built: soon bread-carts were
running over the city bearing the words
I" Margaret's Bakery" 1t became the
fashion to buy at Margaret's place
During war, pestilence and disaster
Margaret's fires were never out, anC
the delicious rolls kept up their weigh
and quality, no matter what else in lift
failed. Then she began running he
free bread-carts during the fever panic
No one went hungry who was within
sound of her cart-wheels. From tina
. time on no one need go hungry in New
! Orleans-those too poor to buy wer'
given a loaf fresh and white as the best
and it was given heartily, with a Go,
! bring thee better times There wa
: no distinction in Margarets favors
! Sne gave 10 Wnlle anu DldCh, VI al
! church or none. Are you hungry?
! that is all that was necessary. Her
is bread; take it, with Gods blessing.
There have been in this city dread days
when it seemed as if God and every
body had failed us but Margaret-day
when she almost literally fed the city
During the yellow fever panic Margare
began her noble work of taking tn
children from the homes of death an
putting them into house under goo
care, supporting them herself in ever
particular. Soon the one asylum grey
into many; the dozens of her littl
= charges were numbered by hundreds
and at the time of her death, thou
sands. At the gate of every orphan
/, asylum in the city Margarets bread
: cart, with its smoking rolls, was see
daily; at every charitable institution
n. whatsoever she took the privilege G
giving her bread freely, and Margaret
name headed the list for every charity